editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR News' Brian Naylor is a correspondent on the Washington Desk.In this role, he covers politics and federal agencies, including transportation and homeland security.With more than 30 years of experience at NPR, Naylor has served as National Desk correspondent, White House correspondent, congressional correspondent, foreign correspondent and newscaster during All Things Considered. He has filled in as host on many NPR programs, including Morning Edition, Weekend Edition and Talk of the Nation.During his NPR career, Naylor has covered many of the major world events, including political conventions, the Olympics, the White House, Congress and the mid-Atlantic region. Naylor reported from Tokyo in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, from New Orleans following the BP oil spill, and from West Virginia after the deadly explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine.While covering the U.S. Congress in the mid-1990s, Naylor's reporting contributed to NPR's 1996 Alfred I. duPontNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Brian NaylorFri, 02 Dec 2016 23:47:07 +0000Brian Naylorhttp://wfae.org
Brian NaylorRetired Gen. James Mattis' nomination to be President-elect Donald Trump's secretary of defense may, well, march through the Senate, but there is one potential obstacle to maneuver around: the retired general part.The National Security Act of 1947, which established the current national defense structure, had a key stipulation, requiring that the secretary of defense be a civilian well removed from military service. In fact, the law is quite clear:"That a person who has within ten years been on active duty as a commissioned officer in a Regular component of the armed services shall not be eligible for appointment as Secretary of Defense."The idea was to ensure that the nation's armed forces be controlled by a civilian. Congress almost immediately waived the rule, allowing President Truman to name revered Army Gen. George Marshall to serve as defense secretary in 1950. The law was changed in 2008, reducing from ten to seven the number of years that a nominee must be retired from theTrump's Defense Pick Challenges Rules Regarding Civilian Control Of The Militaryhttp://wfae.org/post/trumps-defense-pick-challenges-rules-regarding-civilian-control-military
106413 as http://wfae.orgFri, 02 Dec 2016 21:51:00 +0000Trump's Defense Pick Challenges Rules Regarding Civilian Control Of The MilitaryBrian NaylorPresident-elect Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech at what was billed as the first stop in a thank-you tour in Cincinnati, Ohio, tonight, in which he pledged to unite America while at the same time recounting old grievances against the news media, and his political opponents.Trump also used the occasion to announce he will nominate retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense, calling him "the closest thing we have to Gen. George Patton of our time."Trump touched on nationalistic themes, vowing that from now on "it's going to be America first. Never again," Trump vowed, "will anyone's interest come before the interests of the American people. It's not going to happen."He also sounded notes of populism, saying that "for too long Washington has tried to put us in boxes; they separate us by race, by age, by income, by geography, by place of birth." Trump said now was the time to "embrace the thing that unites us, and that is America."Trump also asserted thatTrump Relives Campaign Victory During Thank-You Tour Rallyhttp://wfae.org/post/trump-warns-us-companies-will-be-taxed-very-heavily-if-they-leave-country
106349 as http://wfae.orgThu, 01 Dec 2016 21:36:00 +0000Trump Relives Campaign Victory During Thank-You Tour RallyBrian NaylorSo here's a riddle: What college doesn't have a campus, or professors, or students or even a football team?Give up? The Electoral College!OK, that was a little juvenile (if you really want to bring back your childhood, here's a video explaining the Electoral College by Schoolhouse Rock.)But there are a lot of misconceptions about the Electoral College, according to Oliver Potts, director of the Office of the Federal Register. The college, he said, is not a place or entity or organization, "it's a process."Potts's agency is best known for publishing all of the federal regulations and other policies, what Potts calls "the daily business of the federal government." And thanks to a reorganization after World War II, the Federal Register is also the custodian of the Electoral College.Potts said his office is essentially the institutional memory of the college, keeping current with the process. "We remember what it is and we remind the states, because there are often changes betweenTrump's Election Calls Attention To Electoral College And Small Federal Agency http://wfae.org/post/trumps-election-calls-attention-electoral-college-and-small-federal-agency
106239 as http://wfae.orgWed, 30 Nov 2016 04:16:00 +0000Trump's Election Calls Attention To Electoral College And Small Federal Agency Brian NaylorPresident-elect Donald Trump says he has a simple goal in mind when it comes to federal regulations. In a video he released Monday, Trump said he "will formulate a rule that says that for every one new regulation, two old regulations must be eliminated. So important." There are some 80,000 pages in the Federal Register, where all regulations are published. So it should be a simple task to pare back some of them. Wrong."It's generally not easy to do that," says Susan Dudley, who heads the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University. Undoing regulations, she says, is neither quick nor simple. To repeal a regulation, Dudley says a federal agency "would have to go through the notice and comment rule-making process, the same process that's used to develop a new regulation and that would take at least a year."So basically everything an agency does to create a rule, it has to do to repeal one.There is a work-around, at least for the most recently approved regulations: theVowing To Roll Back Regulations, Trump Faces Uphill Taskhttp://wfae.org/post/vowing-roll-back-regulations-trump-faces-uphill-task
106015 as http://wfae.orgFri, 25 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000Vowing To Roll Back Regulations, Trump Faces Uphill TaskBrian NaylorAfter a week filled with questions and rumors of turmoil behind the scenes of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team, his staff is now publicly laying out a more concrete timetable to get their work of ensuring a smooth handoff up to speed.The Trump transition team will begin notifying the Obama administration of its designees to meet with current agency officials starting today.That will start with national security. So-called "landing teams" assigned to the Department of Defense, the State Department, the National Security Council and the Department of Justice will be submitted to the White House today and will soon begin their meetings with Obama administration officials, Sean Spicer, a spokesman for the president-elect, told reporters today.The names of Trump's representatives will be made public tomorrow on the Trump transition website, www.greatagain.gov.These announcements come as Trump prepares to greet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Manhattan office laterTrump Transition Work Set To Pick Up Speed http://wfae.org/post/trump-transition-work-set-pick-speed
105610 as http://wfae.orgThu, 17 Nov 2016 18:37:00 +0000Trump Transition Work Set To Pick Up Speed Brian NaylorThe Trump transition team is a work in progress, but there are certain things we know. It's being led by Vice President-elect Mike Pence, and it includes an executive committee that includes several members of President-elect Donald Trump's family.NPR has obtained an organizational chart, which lists the names of those who are heading "teams" with responsibility for many of the federal agencies and departments. Several of them, especially in the national security realm, played advisory roles in the Trump campaign. Most are white men. And, somewhat surprisingly for an administration that pledges to reduce the impact of lobbyists in Washington to "drain the swamp," a fair number of them are lobbyists.Keep in mind that the transition is a fluid process. For instance, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was the original transition chairman until he was replaced by Pence, and Mike Rogers was originally the national security lead, until he unexpectedly withdrew. The New York Times reported thatFrom Lobbyists To Loyalists, See Who's On Donald Trump's Transition Teamhttp://wfae.org/post/lobbyists-loyalists-see-whos-donald-trumps-transition-team
105544 as http://wfae.orgWed, 16 Nov 2016 16:00:00 +0000From Lobbyists To Loyalists, See Who's On Donald Trump's Transition TeamBrian NaylorReince Priebus once joked about his job as chairman of the Republican National Committee that people assumed he must be miserable. But Priebus said he didn't see it that way. "I'm not pouring Bailey's in my cereal," he told CNN.Now, as newly named chief of staff to President-elect Donald Trump, Priebus has his work cut out for him.Priebus will have a large say in hiring West Wing staff, and will "be in charge of day to day operations," he told Fox News on Monday morning. He'll also have the president-elect's ear as a top adviser.It's also the chief of staff's job to make sure there is time for the President to look at the big picture. That's what Josh Bolten advises. Bolten was Chief of staff during the final three years of the George W. Bush White House "The biggest challenge that anyone in the chief of staff's role faces," Bolten says,"is to make sure that the urgent does not drive out the important."As head of the RNC, Priebus saw that the party's apparatus and organization were inWho Is Reince Priebus, Trump's Newly Named Chief Of Staff? http://wfae.org/post/who-reince-priebus-trumps-new-chief-staff
105413 as http://wfae.orgMon, 14 Nov 2016 14:30:00 +0000Who Is Reince Priebus, Trump's Newly Named Chief Of Staff? Brian NaylorPresident-elect Trump is shaking up the leadership of his transition team, naming Vice President-elect Mike Pence as chairman. Pence will take over the role from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was named as a vice chairman of the team's executive committee.Pence, Indiana's governor and a former congressman, brings some Washington expertise and has long-standing relationships with congressional leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan.Christie led the Trump transition effort during the campaign. Two of his top aides were convicted in the "Bridgegate" scandal just before the election, which may have hurt his standing with the Trump team. But Christie could also still be in contention for a job in the Trump administration.Others named as executive committee vice chairmen are Ben Carson, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, retired Army Gen. Michael Flynn, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.Trump also named his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, daughter Ivanka andPresident-Elect Trump Names Pence To Lead Transition Teamhttp://wfae.org/post/president-elect-trump-names-pence-lead-transition-team
105293 as http://wfae.orgFri, 11 Nov 2016 20:26:00 +0000President-Elect Trump Names Pence To Lead Transition TeamBrian NaylorThe election just ended and the new president doesn't even take office until Jan. 20. But the transition planning starts now.Who's going to be President-elect Donald Trump's secretary of state? His chief of staff? His education secretary? Now that the news of Trump's election has settled, speculation over how the president-elect will fill out his administration has consumed Washington.Keeping in mind the truism that nobody who knows is talking, and those who are talking don't really know, here are some of the names being floated, leaked and speculated about.Let's start with chief of staff, a key position that will influence the filling of many others. The name of Reince Priebus, currently chairman of the Republican National Committee, has often been mentioned. Priebus was a steady backer of Trump, when many in the party establishment wanted nothing to do with the brash businessman, and put the party's apparatus behind Trump's campaign.New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who quickly gaveWho Might Be In Donald Trump's Cabinet? Plus, More About The Transitionhttp://wfae.org/post/who-might-be-donald-trumps-cabinet-plus-more-about-transition
105256 as http://wfae.orgThu, 10 Nov 2016 23:54:00 +0000Who Might Be In Donald Trump's Cabinet? Plus, More About The TransitionBrian NaylorPresident Obama spoke at the White House on Wednesday, a day after the candidate he hoped would carry on his legacy suffered a devastating blow to Donald Trump. WATCH: President Obama Speaks On Trump Win, Clinton Losshttp://wfae.org/post/watch-president-obama-speaks-trump-win-clinton-loss
105141 as http://wfae.orgWed, 09 Nov 2016 17:31:25 +0000WATCH: President Obama Speaks On Trump Win, Clinton LossBrian NaylorConcerns about the possible hacking of voting systems on Election Day are growing. 46 states have asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help make sure their systems are protected from disruptions on Tuesday. And some states, like Ohio, are taking steps on their own.Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican, says his state worked with "all available public and private cyber security experts" to test Ohio's voting systems, including a newly-created cybersecurity unit at the state's National Guard.Husted says the guard unit was invited to come in and test the system for vulnerabilities. "Where they found them, then we were able to fix them, shore them up, to make sure that things were as secure as they could be heading into the general election."Husted wont say what the tests found. But he stresses none of Ohio's voting machines are connected to the Internet, and that nothing related "to the casting or counting of votes is subject to a cybersecurity attack." However, heExperts Warn Of Election Day Cyberattackshttp://wfae.org/post/experts-warn-election-day-cyberattacks
104890 as http://wfae.orgSat, 05 Nov 2016 16:33:00 +0000Experts Warn Of Election Day CyberattacksBrian NaylorCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit CORNISH, HOST: Concerns are growing about the possible hacking of voting systems on Election Day. Forty-six states have asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help make sure their systems are protected from disruptions next Tuesday, and some states are taking steps on their own. NPR's Brian Naylor reports. BRIAN NAYLOR, BYLINE: Ohio secretary of state Jon Husted says his state worked with all available public and private cybersecurity experts to test Ohio's voting systems, including a newly-created cybersecurity unit at the state's National Guard. JON HUSTED: We asked them, invited them to come in and test our system for vulnerabilities. And where they found them, then we were able to fix them, shore them up to make sure that things were as secure as they could be heading into the general election. NAYLOR: Husted won't say what the tests found, but he stresses none of Ohio's voting machines are connected to the internet. HUSTED: Nothing46 States Request Help From Homeland Security In Protecting Voting Systemshttp://wfae.org/post/46-states-request-help-homeland-security-protecting-voting-systems
104855 as http://wfae.orgFri, 04 Nov 2016 20:33:00 +000046 States Request Help From Homeland Security In Protecting Voting SystemsBrian NaylorThe federal government, filled with creaky computer systems that are a poor match for the cybersecurity threats that agencies face from an array of hackers, criminals and foreign governments, is hoping for a multibillion-dollar capital infusion to modernize its IT infrastructure.U.S. Chief Information Officer Tony Scott says trying to protect current federal IT infrastructure, some of which is decades old, is like "trying to put air bags into an old car." It can be done, he says, but it's not going to work as effectively as a new car that had air bags as part of the design.The hack of the Office of Personnel Management computers — which exposed records including Social Security numbers and fingerprints of more than 20 million government workers, contractors and family members — was a dramatic and frightening example of the problem facing government IT managers.While the Obama administration has budgeted some $82 billion in IT spending for 2017, most of that is to maintain legacyObama Urges A Boost In IT Spending To Secure Federal Computers http://wfae.org/post/obama-urges-boost-it-spending-secure-federal-computers
104370 as http://wfae.orgThu, 27 Oct 2016 21:39:00 +0000Obama Urges A Boost In IT Spending To Secure Federal Computers Brian Naylor"It's the consumers' information. How it is used should be the consumers' choice." So said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler as the commission adopted rules requiring Internet service providers such as Comcast and Verizon to get customers' permission before selling the data they collect to marketers.The vote was 3-2 along party lines.ISPs are the gateway to the Internet and collect information about the movies we watch, the websites we visit and, in the case of smartphones, the actual physical locations of where we are. It's a valuable trove of data, which the ISPs typically collect and package to data brokers and marketers without consumers' knowledge or permission.As Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who voted for the new rules, put it, "Our digital footprints are no longer in sand, they are in wet cement."Under the new FCC rules, ISPs will have to inform consumers about what information is collected and how it is used and shared, and identify the types of entities with which the ISP sharesFCC Vote Means Internet Providers Need Permission To Share Your Datahttp://wfae.org/post/fcc-vote-means-internet-providers-need-permission-share-your-data
104343 as http://wfae.orgThu, 27 Oct 2016 19:14:00 +0000FCC Vote Means Internet Providers Need Permission To Share Your DataBrian NaylorIn a political season full of "did they really go there?" moments, there was another last night on the Fox News Channel. Host Megyn Kelly, a past target of Donald Trump's tweets, was interviewing former House speaker, now Trump surrogate, Newt Gingrich.Gingrich expressed his ire over the amount of time the news media have devoted to coverage of the women who have accused Trump of making unwanted sexual advances, compared with coverage of Hillary Clinton's speech leaked to WikiLeaks in which she talks about open borders.You can watch the ensuing exchange here:"You are fascinated with sex, and you don't care about public policy," Gingrich said.Kelly replied, "Me, really?"Gingrich: "That's what I get out of watching you tonight."Kelly: "You know what, Mr. Speaker? I'm not fascinated by sex, but I am fascinated by the protection of women and understanding what we're getting in the oval office ... "Gingrich then brought up former President Bill Clinton, saying he will be "back in the EastWATCH: Megyn Kelly And Newt Gingrich Spar Over 'Sexual Predators'http://wfae.org/post/watch-megyn-kelly-and-newt-gingrich-spar-over-sexual-predators
104250 as http://wfae.orgWed, 26 Oct 2016 13:26:00 +0000WATCH: Megyn Kelly And Newt Gingrich Spar Over 'Sexual Predators'Brian NaylorIn case you needed more evidence of the toll this divisive campaign is taking on America, a new survey says more than a third of social media users are "worn out" by the amount of political content they encounter. That's nearly twice as many who say they welcome the political content they find on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.The survey of more than 4500 adults was done by the Pew Research Center. It found that 37% of social media users report being worn out, compared to the 20% who say they like seeing lots of seeing lots of political information.59%, meanwhile, describe their online interactions with people they disagree with as "stressful and frustrating," and 64% say their online encounters with those they disagree with leave them feeling "as if they have less in common than they thought."If you find the tone of political discourse on social media troubling, well, you're not alone. 40% of social media users strongly agree that that social media platforms are places whereMany 'Worn Out' By Campaign, Survey Of Social Media Users Showshttp://wfae.org/post/many-worn-out-campaign-survey-social-media-users-shows
104205 as http://wfae.orgTue, 25 Oct 2016 18:27:00 +0000Many 'Worn Out' By Campaign, Survey Of Social Media Users ShowsBrian NaylorPresident Obama's days in office are dwindling, and it's clear he intends to have as much fun as he can on the way out. Last night during a West Coast fundraising trip, he stopped by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live.Obama took part in a recurring bit called "Mean Tweets," which consists of reading aloud some of the, you guessed it, mean tweets about him of late.Such as:@nathan: "Barack Obama is the Nickelback of presidents."@woodstockdave: "Obama couldn't negotiate getting a Whopper without pickles."@duckpunks: "I bet Obama likes mustard on his hotdogs because hes gross."@momof4munchkins: "Just found out my daughter shares a birthday with Obama PUKE."@Maaaaartz: "Barack Obama dances like how his jeans look."@heather____98: "My mom bought new conditioner and it sucks it isn't even conditioning my hair I blame Obama."@DJ_lcpl: "Barack Obama...bro, do you even lift!?"(To which Obama responded, "Well, I lifted the ban on Cuban cigars, that's worth something.")@James141980: "Barack Obama is theWATCH: Obama Reads 'Mean Tweets' — Including One From Trumphttp://wfae.org/post/watch-obama-reads-mean-tweets-including-one-trump
104177 as http://wfae.orgTue, 25 Oct 2016 13:46:00 +0000WATCH: Obama Reads 'Mean Tweets' — Including One From TrumpBrian NaylorATPresidential Campaigns Blast AT&T-Time Warner Mergerhttp://wfae.org/post/presidential-campaigns-blast-att-time-warner-merger
104125 as http://wfae.orgMon, 24 Oct 2016 16:13:00 +0000Presidential Campaigns Blast ATBrian NaylorCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Trump Puts Sen. Richard Burr In Difficult Position With N.C. Votershttp://wfae.org/post/trump-puts-sen-richard-burr-difficult-position-nc-voters
103851 as http://wfae.orgWed, 19 Oct 2016 20:28:00 +0000Trump Puts Sen. Richard Burr In Difficult Position With N.C. VotersBrian NaylorHow would Donald Trump "drain the swamp" in Washington as he puts it? Two words: term limits.At a rally in Colorado Springs, Colo., Tuesday, Trump said if elected in November he will "push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress."Trump did not elaborate on how many terms lawmakers could serve. The idea of capping how long lawmakers can spend in Washington is popular with many in the GOP and has been proposed before, most notably as part of the Republicans' "Contract with America" in 1994. The measure was taken up by the GOP-led House after that election but didn't come close to winning the necessary 2/3 majority to send it to the Senate.That proposal would have limited House members to two two-year terms and senators to two six-year terms. Several states have successfully enacted term limits for their legislatures.Trump's proposal comes a day after he offered a five-point package of ethics reforms:Instituting a five-year ban on all executiveTrump Proposes Term Limits For Congresshttp://wfae.org/post/trump-proposes-term-limits-congress
103799 as http://wfae.orgTue, 18 Oct 2016 21:45:00 +0000Trump Proposes Term Limits For Congress